are a large genus of multicellular bacteria best known for their prolific production of bioactive natural products. In addition, they play key roles in the mineralisation of insoluble resources, such as chitin and cellulose. Because of their multicellular mode of growth, colonies of interconnected hyphae extend over a large area that may experience different conditions in different parts of the colony. Here, we argue that within-colony phenotypic heterogeneity can allow colonies to simultaneously respond to divergent inputs from resources or competitors that are spatially and temporally dynamic. We discuss causal drivers of heterogeneity, including competitors, precursor availability, metabolic diversity and division of labour, that facilitate divergent phenotypes within colonies. We discuss the adaptive causes and consequences of within-colony heterogeneity, highlight current knowledge (gaps) and outline key questions for future studies.

中文翻译：

---

链霉菌菌落的表型异质性

是一个大的多细胞细菌属，以其多产的生物活性天然产物而闻名。此外，它们在甲壳质和纤维素等不溶性资源的矿化中发挥着关键作用。由于其多细胞生长模式，相互连接的菌丝菌落延伸到很大的区域，菌落的不同部分可能会经历不同的条件。在这里，我们认为，群体内的表型异质性可以使群体同时对来自空间和时间动态的资源或竞争对手的不同输入做出反应。我们讨论了异质性的因果驱动因素，包括竞争者、前体可用性、代谢多样性和劳动分工，这些因素促进了菌落内不同的表型。我们讨论了群体内异质性的适应性原因和后果，强调了当前的知识（差距）并概述了未来研究的关键问题。